Source: Pig Progress, 6 July 2020, photo credit: GEN Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
New gene editing developments could be moving the global pork industry closer to the end of pig castration. Especially in the European Union, this leads to an interesting discussion as gene editing is still not permitted. Will the possibility of ‘solving’ the boar taint issue change that?
Across the globe, many groups are working on affordable and reliable ways for the pork industry to avoid the practice of physical castration. Castration is a painful procedure done on tens of millions of young male pigs around the world each year. It prevents the meat of these pigs from having boar taint, an offensive odour or taste caused by the release of certain natural hormones after a male pig reaches puberty.
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The South African Pork Producers’ Organisation (SAPPO) coordinates industry interventions and collaboratively manages risks in the value chain to enable the sustainability and profitability of pork producers in South Africa.
